a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self contained, disposable, sanitary toilet facility for use by pets. More specifically it relates to a self-contained toilet facility which is portable and convenient for owners of pets to set up for use by their pets, and to dispose of, either in the home or when traveling with a pet.
b. Discussion of the Prior Art
One of the most objectionable aspects of keeping a house pet such as a cat or a dog, is the maintaining of suitable toilet facilities, particularly in relatively crowded quarters such as an apartment or hotel room. Where the animal is trained to use an indoor toilet station there is the unpleasant task of keeping the station clean to prevent the development of offensive odors and/or unhealthy conditions.
Currently, most pet owners use old newspapers or a quantity of sand or ground clay in a shallow tray as a toilet station. Newspapers are particularly inefficient for such use since they have very little moisture absorbency and must be discarded almost immediately after being soiled by a pet. Sand or ground clay, generally referred to as "litter," have more permanence since they are highly absorbent materials and provide an area of earthy material which is suitable for pawing and scratching to which animals, particularly cats, are by nature attracted. However, even sand or clay must be regularly cleaned, for example, by screening, and periodically discarded and replaced by a fresh batch of litter. Sometimes cleaning or disposal of litter from an open tray is accompanied by some of the contents of the tray being accidentally spilled, for example, while the sand or clay is being transferred from the tray to a screen, or to a disposable receiver, or to a trash container. The tray which is used to contain the sand or clay usually must be cleaned by washing at regular intervals as a sanitation measure. In any event, most existing measures for keeping some sort of a permanent pet toilet station are inefficient and, at best, result in a messy and unpleasant routine.
The prior art which is perhaps the most pertinent to the present invention is Sweeney U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,052. This reference discloses a self-packaging pet toilet station comprising a carton of stiff, moisture-resistant material and constructed to fold from a fully closed box, containing a charge of litter, into an expanded open tray in which the litter may be spread over the tray bottom. The box portion is constructed from a one-piece blank and formed so as to have a mating bottom and top portion hinged to one another by a joint, which permits both free and easy opening and closing, as well as constituting portions of the upright sidewalls which define the open tray. However, the system of this prior art does not include any means which are an integral part of the box blank for securing the box closed before it is utilized, nor does it include means for re-locking the box after it has been used and re-closed. Furthermore, it neither uses nor suggests the use of a disposable liner for the litter, nor does it provide or suggest the use of a handle to be used in carrying the box.
In other prior art, Smith U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,155 discloses a package receptacle of the book-fold type containing a disposable waterproof liner for the receptacle. When open the package receptacle provides a sanitary container tray useful as a pet animal toilet station. The receptacle includes means to securely hold the liner in place when the opened package is lined with the disposable liner. However, the container of this reference cannot be folded to form a box to hold litter, either before or after it is used. Furthermore, it does not include a handle for ease of carrying the receptacle. Coughlin, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,292 discloses a sanitary pet litter container comprised of a carton which can be folded into a wedge-shaped configuration for storage or disposal, or which may be opened to receive pets. The container does include a waterproof lining or coating and provides litter packaged within it. The container is constructed in such a manner that the opposed sidewalls may be folded into one another, in a flap and slot manner, to secure the container closed both before and after its use. When opened, the container requires the use of channels to brace the sidewalls open. This system provides no handle or other similar means for ease of carrying. Edgar U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,314 discloses a single use disposable package formed from a paper board blank into a six-sided box for containing cat litter. When the package is used the top section of the box is held rigidly in its open position, by the engagement of slots and tabs. The system provides no means for re-closing the box after its use, nor for the provision of a handle or other carrying means for carrying the container.
The patent to Wellman, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,787, discloses a plurality of self-contained and pre-loaded feline litter boxes housed in stacked relation within a container having external walls. The litter boxes contain no liner, include no carrying handle, and do not have an integral means for re-locking the boxes after they have been used. Noonan U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,544 discloses a disposable cat litter box which is formed of waterproof paper board. This reference details means for constructing such a box out of paper board. However, the resulting box has no means integral with its structure for securing the box in a locked or closed position either before or after its use, nor the provision of a handle or similar carrying means to provide ease of carrying. Bienvenu, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,226 also discloses a disposable pet litter container constructed from a paper board blank. The container is integral, made from folded material, and is coated with moisture impervious material. As with the previous patent, it includes no means integral with the paper board blank for closing or locking the container either before or after its use, nor the provision of a handle or similar means for ease in carrying the system. Higgins, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,360 discloses a disposable animal litter box having a removable fluid tight bottom and a cover member which includes a selectively removable portion to define an opening into the container. Once opened, the container provides no integral means for re-closing or locking the container, nor does it provide a handle for ease of handling and carrying. Feitelson U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,160 discloses a sealed disposable cat litter box formed from a paperboard blank. Litter is contained within the sealed box when it is obtained by the user. In use, the top is unsealed and folded and secured out of the way to form additional sidewall portions. After use, and to dispose of the litter and box, the top portion which had been folded and secured out of the way is unfolded and repositioned horizontally to reform a top closure means for the box. The top is then sealed with tape, and the box containing the litter is disposed of. However, this reference does not disclose a means for resealing the box which is integral with the box, nor does it disclose the use of a handle. Finally, and most recently, Cheesman U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,671 discloses a disposable cat litter container having the litter material packaged in the container. The container has a rectangularly shaped top wall having a central perforated tear-out portion. It is formed from a single integral piece of paper-board material. However, the bottom of the container is formed from a separate moisture resistant sheet. Nothing within this patent provides means integral with the container for resealing after use, nor for the provision or use of a handle.